APPENDIX. 56; 



was but eight days until the June Sessions of the court, he would release 

 them without security. Finding that he was unalterable in his deter- 

 mination, one of them, who was subsequently discovered to have a cut- 

 lass concealed under his coat, grossly msulted him and threatened him 

 with violence. 



"The accused and the crowd left the office and the town, and in the 

 afternoon, about one o'clock, returned, more than ninety in number, 

 sixty of them armed with rifles and muskets, and tlie remainder with 

 clubs, scalping knives and tomahawks. They marched down Allegheny 

 street to Second, up Second to Penn, up Penn to the Diamond, where 

 they formed into a circle. Justice Smith was then called into the 

 centre, and it was demanded that he would tear up the warrants upon 

 which the arrests had been made. He refused to do so; but, having 

 them in his pocket, he delivered them to one of the leaders. They 

 were then passed into the hands of a man who must have been the 

 greatest desperado of the party, as he had previously presented a rifle 

 three times to Justice Smith's breast, and was only prevented by the 

 interference of others from taking the Justice's life. He stepped from 

 the ranks, and tearing the warrants threw some of the pieces at the 

 Justice, saying, ' See now what it is to be a magistrate.' 



"The Clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions was next required to 

 deliver to them the indictment that had been found at the March Ses- 

 sions. It was also destroyed. 



"Justices Smith and Henderson, having gone to the house on Alle- 

 gheny street in which the courts were held, were followed by a number 

 of armed men, who demanded possession of the Quarter Sessions docket. 

 On obtaining it they obliterated the record of the proceedings against 

 the rioters, the part which was obnoxious to them. 



"The compliance of the officers with these demands was compelled 

 by intimidation and threats. The order-loving portion of the commu- 

 nity was completely overawed. 



" Information was then brought to Smith and Henderson that per- 

 sonal injury was intended them. Both sought safety, the former by 

 secreting himself and the latter by flight. Their own houses and several 

 others were searched for them. The sheriff and David McMurtrie, the 

 latter of whom had incurred their enmity at the review, had gone from 

 town the day before, and avoided unpleasant consequences to them- 

 selves. Two constables were obliged to leave their homes to save their 

 lives. The sheriff could not with safety go into the country to serve 

 writs, and all kinds of business was affected by this unhappy state of 

 affairs. 



"Another visit was feared, and on the 5th of June, 17S8, a full state- 



